Vapor motor or engine



Oct. 23, 1928.

J. G. PROSSER VAPOR MOTOR OR ENGINE Filed Dec. 14,v 1925 2 Shegts=-$heet l Jojep/z 6'. prosse/g Oct. 23, 1928. 1,689,049 v J. a. PROSSER VAPQR MOTOR 0R ENGINE Filed Dec. 14, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 64 i i V A 22V L l 066/7/1 6'. Prove/z Mun;

Patented Get. 23, 192%.

Unites stares were JOSEPH e. rnossan, or CHICAGO, rLLinoIs.

VAPOR MOTOR on ENGINE.

Application filed December 14, 1923. Serial I'Jo. 680,738.

This invention relates to vapor motors or engines. I

-he present case constitutes a divisional application, in part, of my prior application filed May 6, 1922, Serial No. 558,917, for vapor motors. I

The primary object of the invention is, in connection with a hollow piston of a vapor motor or engine (associated with a heatingagent) to effect removal of a heating-medium introduced into the piston) after such medium has lost its thermal efficiency, and to return such medium either to the heatingagent or discharge it from the engine.

Another object of the invention is, in connection with a hollow piston of a vapor motor or engine, to provide for effectually draining from the piston any condensate as the same may form therein and thereby prevent accumulation of such condensate in the piston.

Another object within the contemplation of my invention is, in connection with such hollow piston, to associate therewith a hollow tail-rod; to supply a heating-medium to the piston; and to eject such heating-medium therefrom after it has lost in thermal efficiency.

In order that the invention may be more readily comprehended by those skilled in the alt,

I have shown in the accompanying drawings aplurality of embodiments I and applications thereof; but it is to be understood that these drawings are merely illustrative. that other embodiments and applications are contemplated, and that a wide range of modification and variation in the illustrated embodiments may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its salient features and underlying principles.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through a horizontal engine-cylinder and including one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. -2 is a fragmentary view in enlarged section of a portion of the piston thereoigf; f

Fig. 3 is a similar view, on the line Fig. 2;

Fig. 4: is a view 111 vertlcal longitudinal section through a vertical engine-cylinder and involving another embodiment of the invention; c

F g. o is a fragmentary View, in section, on tne l1ne'55, F1g.4; and

Fig G is a view in vertical section of a valve iorming one feature of the structure.

ln'these drawings, the reference-character 1 designates an engine-cylinder, the-same being shown in Figs. 1 to 3 as of the horizon- ;al type. and in Fig. l as of the vertical type. rlach of these types includes a piston 2 reciprocable'in the cylinder under the action of an elastic fluid, such as steam, adapted to be introduced into the cylinder in any appropriate manner and as set forth, forinstance, in my aforementioned application.

The cylinder, preferably and as shown in Fig. 1, is steam-jacketed as at 9, 15 and 16, respectively. A heating-medium, such as steam, supplied to the jackets 9,15 and 16, respectively, through pipes 11 and 17 communicating with a steam-line (notshown). In this manner, the heating-medium is supplied to the jackets at the highest temperature available,

To drain the jackets, a drain-pipe 18 is provided, and this communicates with the jackets by drainage-pipes 19, 20 and 21. The pipe 18 preferably extends to a trap (not shown), and which may in turn discharge the heating-medium to a heating-agent, such as a boiler (not shown) to be reheated therein and returned or be discharged elsewhere.

The piston, preferably and as shown, is hollow to provide a chamber 22 constituting a jacket. Attached to the pistonin this instance, centrally of its axis-is a tail-rod 23 which, preferably and as shown, forms an extension of a hollow piston-rod 24, The tail-rod is mounted 'in a bearing 25 which is protected by a gland 26 provided with an annular chamber 27 which, in turn, is protected by a gland 28 formed as the inner extremity of a hollow tail-rod-casing 29.

The tail-rod 23 is hollow to provide an elongated passage 30 in which a conduit 31 is mounted, the latter having a port 32 adapted periodically to register with the annular chamber 27. I r Leading into the casing 29 is a steam-pipe 33 connecting with a main steam-line (not shown) and through which steam is conveyed into the passage in the tail-rod, into the hollow piston-rod 24, and through openingsone of which (34) is showninto the jacket 22 of the piston. The passage 30, which projects from the piston-face throu h and beyond the cylinder-wall, constitutes t e primary conduit for supplying the heatingagent or fluid to the piston and to the pistonrod jackets. To provide for drainage of the passageway 30, a small opening 35 extends rom the passageway 30 into the jacket 22.

Preferably and as shown, means are pro vided fordraining the condensate from the jacket 22, such means including a discharge conduit comprising the pipe 31, an annular channel 31 in the piston and with which th pipe communicatw, and an extension 37 that extends nearly to the lowest portion of the jacket 2.2.- The extension 37 is provided with a check-valve, shown in this instance as a ball 38 adapt-ed to seat on the inner end of a ball-Supporting element 39 threaded through the wallof the piston 2, and which is provided with a duct 40 communicating with branch-ducts 41. The ball-supporting ele ment is encompassed by gauze 42, or similar material, to prevent sedimentor the like from passing into and blocking the ducts 41. The

ball 38 is normally maintained against its seat by a spring 43.

In this instance, the condensate in the jacket 22 is removed therefrom by pressuremeans which operate externally of the engine and which include atrap 44 that communicates with the annular chamber 27 through a pipe 45 that is coiled, as at 46, to increase radiation.

Pressure is regulated in the trap 44, as by means of a pressure-regulating valve 47 on a pipe 48 extending into the trap 44 and operated through a pipe 49 which communicates with the interior of the casing 29 and which operates on a diaphragm (not shown) dis posed in the upper portion of the valve 47 in opposition to a spring 50 which is subject to regulation. Reduced pressure is maintained in the trap 44 either by reason of the radiation effected through the coil 46 or by the regulating valve 47, or by both; such pressure being predetermined and somewhat lower than that prevailing in the jacket 22 of the piston.

It is to be understood that as the piston 2 leciprocatea'the port 32 of the conduit, duringa certain reciprocation of the piston, is brought into register with the annular chamber 27. The reduced pressure developed in the trap 44 operates to reduce that in the chamber 27 and to maintain it lower than that in the jacket 22. Therefore, as the piston reciprocates, the pressure at the opening 32 is reduced, likewise that in the conduit, wl1ereupon the higher pressure in the piston forces the condensate through the extension 37, thence into the pipe 81, thence into the chamber 27, and thence through the pipe 45 and coil 46 into the trap 44, from which it is dis charged in any suitable way, as through a discharge-pipe 51, and, thus, out of the engine, and returned to the heating-agent, or discharged elsewhere.

It is to be understood that the pressure in the trap 44 maybe maintained at any predetermined degree which will insure its action to effect a withdrzuval of the condensate from the acket 22 through the instrumentalities already referred to. The higher the speed of the engine and, thus, the more rapid the reciprocation of the piston, the greater the required differential in pressure between the trap 44 and the jacket.

In this instance, the pipe 31 is shown with the port 32 extending upwardly so that the pipe will be caused to hold a certain amount of water which may have been drawn thereinto at any one reciprocation of the piston and which will be temporarily retained therein until, by the next reciprocation of the piston, the port 32 is brought into register with the chamber 27, whereupon it will be discharged in the manner already described. The check-valve 38 supplements this trapping action in that it holds any water that may have passed into the conduit from returning to the jacket 22.

)Yhen the engine is at rest, and if the port 32 be then registering with the chamber 27, pressure from the jacket 22 will blow steadily into the steanrtrap 44 and keep the regulating valve 47 constantly in action; but means may be provided, such (for instance) as a valve 52 on the pipe 48, to prevent the steam from blowing away and without interfering with the functioning of the trap 44. 7

To provide for the drainage of the casing 29, a pipe 53 is connected thereto and with the drainage-pipe l8.

Extending into the annular chamber 27 is an oil-pipe 54 communicating with a suitable source of supply of lubricant, and by which the tail-rod bearings are lubricated.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that, in this structure, I have provided means external of the engine-cylinder for effecting withdrawal of a condensate from the piston and discharging it out of the engine. 7

It is to be understoodthat where I have herein referred to discharging condensate either it or the aforementioned vapor of re- It may be returned to the boiler duced quality shall form part of the workingsteam about to enter the cylmder.

The foregoing involves the subject-matter divided out of my aforementioned application and, to that extent and in respect thereto, the presentcase is a divisional application.

In the type of structure illustrated in Figs. 4. and 5, I have, as aforementioned, disclosed a vertical type of engine, and in which is included not only the features already described with reference to the embodiment of Figs. 1 to.3, but, also, certain other features, now about to be described: I i

This structure includes a working-cylinder provided with jackets supplied with a heating-agent through a pipe 57 connectedto any suitable source of supply and drained at its lower part by a pipe 58., A piston 59 operates in the cylinder; it is formed with a chamber 60 functionin as a jacket; it has attached to one of its faces a hollow pistonrod 61 formed with a chamber 62 functioning as a jacket. A hollow tail-rod 63 projects from the other face of the piston and extends through and beyond the cylinder-wall and constitutes the primary conduit for supply ing the heating-agent to the piston and to the piston-rod jackets.

By reason of the fact that the engine in the present instance is of the vertical type, a somewhat dilferent type of discharge-conduit is preferably employed therein. Inasmuch as the tail-rod 63 is shown as in the center of the piston,the discharge-conduit used in connection therewith preferably extends from the lower extremity of the rod to a point as indicated at 64; and this conduit comprises a pipe 65 carrying at its inlet a centering-device 66 and a check-valve 67, the latter acting as a trapping-device for preventing any heating-agent that should be expelled from returning to the chambers 60 and 62 after such agent has entered the conduit. The outlet end of the pipe 65 extends through the periphery of the supply-conduit 63.

The piston-rod 61 is provided, adjacent its lower extremity, with a manually-operated drain-cock 69.

Leading out of an annular chamber 72 corresponding with the chamber 27 in Fig. 2is a pipe 73, the purpose of which is to enable the production of a differential in pressure at the condensate-discharge, in the manner, for instance, described with respect to the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3 or in any other suitable way. It is only necessary that this pipe shall be associated with an instrumentality-such as the atmosphere, for instanceat which the pressure will be sutliciently lowrr than that in the chamber 62 in the piston-rod to produce a differential in pressure and, thus, effect an expulsion of the ineiiicient heating-agent from the chamber 72.

Communicating with the primary conduit 63 and the chamber 60 in the piston are pas-- sageways 74in the piston 59 whereby a heating-agentintroduced into the upper end of the cone uit 63 througha casing 75 into which leads a pipe76 connected with a suitable source of supplyis supplied to the chamber 60. Any ineliicient heating-agent, such. as condensate, that may form in the chamber 60 will drain therefrom through the passage ways 77 into the chamber 62 and be discharged therefrom in the manner already described.

In operation, this vertical type of engine performs substantially as described with respect to the embodiment illustratedin Figs. 1 to 3. In both of these embodiments, means are provided whereby a reduced pressure at the condensate-discharge effects withdrawal of such condensate.

it is evident that in the operation of the instrumentalities for effecting removal of the condensate from the piston andpiston rod, the pressure at the outlet of the discharge-conduct is reduced periodically, as when such outlet registers with the chamber 27, after which (when the reciprocation of the piston carries the outlet out of register with the chamber 27) the pressure is restored to normal or to that in the piston-jacket and the casing 27. Were it not for the presence of the check-valves, etc., which operate as trapping-devices, as already described, the condensate would flow back into the chambers when the pressure is restored to normal, and would accumulate there before it could be finally expelled. I

Wherever I have hereinas in the claims employed the expression condensate, it is to be understood that this term, or any equivalent thereof, comprehends a heatingagent which has been cooled and therefore condensed, and that it may or may not be in a liquid condition.

Where I have herein employed the term outlet to the discharge conduit it is to be understood that this expression, or any equivalent thereof, is intended to comprehend the opening at which the heating-agent leaves the moving parts.

Where I have herein employed the term tail-rod, it is to be understood that this expression, or'any equivalent thereof, is intended to comprehend any member which extends from a face of the piston and projects beyond the cylinder walland moves in contact with a gland in the cylinder wall. It may partly or altogether encompass other rods of similar diameter but which other rods cannot be properly regarded as tail-rods.

Moreover, where I have herein employed the term surface of the tail-rod, it is to be understood that this expression, or any equivalent thereof, comprehends the periphery of the tail-rod, or any external surface til) lot)

thereof and located betweenits outer end and 'the'point at which it is connected to the mainend of the tail-rod, it is understood that it,

or any equivalent thereof, is intended to comprehend the free end of the rod or that end which is not connected to the main-piston.

It will be noted that by reason of the inclusion in my engine of means for effecting Withdrawal of condensate from the piston, etc., such condensate is discharged from the engine Without causing the Working-piston to perform any extra work in connection therewith.

What I claim is:

L An engine comprising a cylinder having a discharge for piston-condensate,- a jacketed piston reciprocable in the cylinder, a conduit for supplying a heating-agent to and maintaining it under substantially uni form pressure in the jacket of the piston and having an inletopening, a conduit for dis charging condensate from the jacket and having an outlet-opening, a tail-rod encompassing portions of the supply and discharge conduits, one of said openings being in the outer surface of the tail-rod and the'other opening being so located in respect to the end of the tail-rod that the condensate may have passage at that end during a predetermined period of the reciprocation of the piston, and means for causing the pressure in the piston to expel from the engine condensate forming in the piston.

' 2. An engine comprising a cylinder hav ing a discharge for piston-condensate, a jacketed piston reciprocable in the cylinder, a conduit for supplying a heating-agent to the jacket of the piston, and having an inletopening, a conduit for discharging condensate from the jacket and having an outletopening, a tail-rod encompassing portions of the supply and discharge conduits, one of said openings being in the outer surface of the tail-rod and the other opening being so lo cated in respect to the end of the tail-rod that the condensate may have passage at that end When the tail-rod is Withdrawn into the cylinder and means for causing the pressure in the piston to expel from the cylinder condensate forming in the piston.

3. An engine comprising a cylinder haying a discharge for piston-condensate, a jacketed piston reciprocable in the cylinder, a conduit for supplying a heating-agent to the jacket of the piston, and having an inletopening, a conduit for discharging condensate from the jacket andhaving an outlet-opening, a tail-rod encompassing portions of'the supply and discharge conduits, one of said openings being in the outer surface of the tailrod and the other openingibeing so located in respect to the end of the tail-rod that the condensate may have passage at that end When the tail-rod is Withdrawn into the cylinder, and means for causing the pressure in the piston to expel from the engine condensate forming in the piston.

In testimony whereof I alfiX my signature.

JOSEPH G. PROSSER. 

